


Cosette's Tale: Castle on a Cloud

by EowynFauchelevent



Series: Cosette's Tale [1]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Schönberg/Boublil, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-14
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2018-04-20 17:04:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4795361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EowynFauchelevent/pseuds/EowynFauchelevent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her mother would come for her. Her mother had promised her. Everything would be all right. Maybe not now, but someday.<br/>Also posted on fanfiction.net</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

****“ _Cosette, listen closely to me.”_

_The little girl looked up at her mother's face, her blue eyes curious. “Yes mama?”_

_Her mother gently stroked the girls chestnut hair as she looked back and spoke. “I have to leave you, but only for a little while. I promise I'll be back soon. I'm going to get a job and earn money so I can come back for you, then we can be together always.”_

“ _No, I don't want to leave you!”_

“ _It will be all right. These are good people, with two little girls for you to play with. Everything will be all right. I promise...”_

_~~_

Everything was wrong. It was all horribly wrong. How could this have become her life? In only a few short months, she had gone from a happy little girl to skinny and frightened.

Her mother had left her there with the Thénardiers when she had been three, with the promise she would return for her. They were good people, with two little girls of their own that she could play with. They had shared a swing together, talked and laughed together while their mothers had spoken, and then her mother had said goodbye and left, promising to be back soon.

Cosette was four now. Her mother still hadn't returned. Éponine and Azelma had turned on her, following their mother's example. She had no friends, she was beaten and starved, and she was frightened.

She still had her hope though. Her mother would come for her. Her mother had promised her. Everything would be all right. Maybe not now, but someday.

Her mother was coming. If not today, then tomorrow, or perhaps the day after that. And on that day, she would be the happiest girl in the world, and all of her dreams would come true. She knew it.

 


	2. Chapter 1

_November 1823_

"Cosette! Cosette!"

The small girl quietly lifted her head from the straw and ashes in her place near the fireplace she called a bed. She knew that voice, and what it meant; Madame wanted her for something. She carefully picked herself up from her sleeping place, barely noticing the pain from her many bruises. By now she was used to the feeling; Madame had taken to be fond of giving her beatings, no matter how small the reason.

Though Madame never gave beatings to Éponine and Azelma. Only her.

She quietly made her way to where the voice had come from. "Yes Madame?"

"You lazy girl! Why aren't you already working on your chores?" Madame demanded.

Cosette tried not to show her fear as she responded. "I'm sorry, Madame, I'll get to work on them right away." She quickly scrambled to grab the broom, her eyes glancing at the window. The sun was barely rising, Éponine and Azelma were likely still warm in their beds, sleeping, although they would be up within the hour, preparing to go to school, a fact that she remembered with deep envy. She would give anything to learn to read and write as well, but she knew it would likely never happen.

"Stop daydreaming and get to work, you useless brat!"

"Yes Madame!" She quickly pulled herself out of her thoughts and got to work sweeping, hoping the movement would help warm her, as it usually did. In the five years she had lived with them, she had mostly gotten used to feeling cold all winter, but discomfort still found its way into her bones in between months of September to November.

 _Maybe today she'll come for me_ , she thought to herself as she swept. Cosette had wondered that every single day since her mother had left. No matter how much Éponine and Azelma teased her, calling her an orphan, mocking her for still having hope that her mother would come, Cosette never once lost faith. Her mother had promised she would come back, and that was that. Her mother would never break a promise to her, she knew that- deep in her heart.

Madame was soon distracted with something else, and Cosette was able to lose herself in her thoughts as she continued sweeping the floor, her mind wandering to what life would be like for her when her mother came for her. She pictured that moment so often, he knew exactly how that moment would go.

She would know her mother immediately, her kind eyes would be full of love, her lips parted in a smile upon being reunited with her daughter after five years apart. Cosette would fly into her arms, all chores abandoned. Madame wouldn't be able to scold her or beat her for leaving the chores because she would be with her mother again. Her mother would take her away from there, far, far away, to a place where they could be forever, just the two of them.

She would have a room of her own, and actual toys, and friends to play with. She could have real clothes, like Éponine and Azelma. She'd have a real life, a proper life. Cosette beamed as she continued to dreamed as she swept the floors, and barely noticed the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. She did, however, notice the foot in a small black shoe kick at the pile of dirt and dust that she had collected while sweeping.

"Oops," said a pretty, feminine voice. She looked up to see Éponine. "Did I just mess up your work?"

Cosette didn't respond. She knew there was no point to it, it wouldn't fix anything.

"You'd better finish sweeping, or Mama will be very upset with you," Éponine smirked before strutting away to eat breakfast, Azelma close at her heels as always.

Cosette sighed and continued sweeping. That would be another benefit of getting away from there: no more of Éponine and Azelma's bullying.

* * *

Cosette sighed in relief as she set down the heavy bucket. She hoped she would be able to at least get most of the floor washed before Éponine and Azelma returned, knowing that they would likely mess up her work, yet again. She would have liked to have gotten it done earlier, but between keeping up the supply of drinking water stocked and getting laundry done, she hadn't gotten the chance.

The young girl worked as quickly as she could, scrubbing the floors clean on her hands and knees with the cloth. Madame didn't like her using a proper mop, she thought it would make her lazy and that she wouldn't clean as well unless it was with the ratty cloth. Her heart sank as she heard the door open, followed by the voices of Éponine and Azelma drifting in. She scramble to clean faster and prayed that they wouldn't come looking for her right away, but to no avail.

"Look, 'Zelma. It's l'allouette."

Cosette kept silent and continued with her work, praying that they would leave her alone.

"Oui, L'alouette," Azelma chimed. She always copied Éponine.

"You know what we do with larks, right 'Zelma?"

_Please no, please leave me alone..._

"Alouette, gentille alouette, alouette je te plumerai."

Cosette hated that song by now, and the actions that came with it. She bit her lip, trying to ignore the feeling of anxiety that threatened to overwhelm her.

"Je te plumerai la tête, je te plumerai la tête, alouette, alouette, ooooh..."

She bit her lip harder and tasted blood as she felt their hands grip her hair and yank. Cosette fought the urge to cry, for s bad as they were, Madame was worse, and she knew if she screamed or cried out at all, Madame would come to investigate and the two girls would magically come up with some story of how Cosette had mistreated them. The end result, no matter what, was always a beating. The best she could do was attempt to stay quiet and unresponsive and pray that they would stop.

"This is boring," Éponine said after a while, releasing Cosette's hair. "She's not doing anything. Let's go play with our dolls, 'Zelma."

Azelma, following her older sister's lead, released her hold Cosette's hair as well, and Cosette quickly returned to her work, grateful that the burning feeling in her scalp had already lessened.

"We should bring our dolls down here to play!" Éponine added, and Cosette knew the other girl was looking at her as she said it. She grit her teeth. Why Éponine felt such a strong need to show off her toys was beyond her, at this point she barely felt jealous, just a stronger yearning for her mother to come for her.

Azelma simply smiled and nodded before trailing upstairs after her sister, just as she always did.

No one noticed the single tear Cosette shed as she continued her work.

_Mama, please come soon._


	3. Chapter 2

_December 1823_

"There is a castle on a cloud. I like to go there in my sleep, aren't any floors for me to sweep, not in my castle on a cloud..."

Cosette sighed happily as daydreams filled her head. She loved to daydream during her chores, it made her long days with the Thénardiers bearable. Especially now that it was winter, and the weather had become colder. Her eyes wandered out the window, to the beautiful doll in the store window across the street. She knew Éponine and Azelma wanted it badly.  _Maybe Father Christmas will give it to me this year, to make up for forgetting me for so many years..._

"There is a room that's full of toys... There are a hundred boys and girls. Nobody shouts or talk too loud, not in my castle on a cloud." She smiled as she pictured it. All of the friends she could ever want, and no one to yell or tease her. It would be perfect.

"There is a lady all in white, holds me and sings a lullaby. She's nice to see and she's soft to touch..." She dropped her voice to a whisper as she spoke the next part, uttering the words she so longed hear as though they were a prayer. "She says 'Cosette, I love you very much'."

"I know a place where no one's lost. I know a place where no one cries. Crying at all is not allowed, not in my castle on a cloud."

She continued humming to herself while gazing out the window, full of longing, until she heard the all-too familiar footsteps. It was Madame.

"Now look who's here: the little Madam herself, pretending once again that she's so awfully good."

Cosette winced. She'd only stopped for a minute or two after working all day without rest, and it was now well past noon.

"Better not let me catch you slacking, better not catch my eye! Ten rotten francs your mother sends me! What's that going to buy?" Madame's gaze suddenly shifted a bit to the left, and Cosette followed it anxiously. "Now take that pail, my little 'mademoiselle', and go and fetch some water from the well!"

Cosette quickly scrambled to grab the bucket as Madame continued on her endless rant.

"We never should have taken you in in the first place, how stupid the things we do! Like mother like daughter, the scum of the street.."

Cosette had heard it all before, at this point the words just went in one ear and out the other. A murmur in the air really. At least Madame wasn't chastising her for moving slowly though. She prayed that Madame would get distracted and forget the order to fetch water. It was cold and dark out now, the last thing she wanted was to walk through the forest to the well at night. For a moment, it seemed her prayers were answered as Éponine waltzed in, wearing a new outfit, complete with a brand new blue hat.

"Éponine! Come my dear Éponine, let me see you, you look very well in that little blue hat! There's some little girls who know how to behave, and they know what to wear and I'm saying thank heaven for that."

Cosette looked away. Éponine beamed smugly at her mother's praise, her dark eyes shining as she glanced in Cosette's direction. Madame's gaze followed, and Cosette found herself cowering in fear.

"Still there, Cosette?" Madame all but growled. "Your tears will do you no good! I told you, fetch some water from the well in the wood!"

"Please do not send me out alone," she begged. "Not in the darkness on my own!"

"Enough of that!" Cosette shrank back as Madame yelled at her. "Or I'll forget to be nice! You heard me ask for something and I _never_  ask twice."

Cosette knew better than to try begging again, and quickly ran out the door, bucket in hand. She wished that she had shoes to protect her feet from the icy ground, but knew that was a dream that could not be. The best she could do was hope her feet would adjust to the cold ground instead of turning purple. She shivered as she walked down the street, heading towards the woods where the well was located, doing her best to ignore how everyone else was safe and warm inside their homes, laughing, eating and drinking.

She soon reached the woods, shivering in her tattered clothes. She didn't mind it much in the daylight, and when it was summer she found the woods to be a happy place, full of flowers and birdsong, but at night in winter, when she was cold and hungry, they were dark and foreboding. She longed to drop the bucket and run back, but as much as she feared the woods, she feared a beating from Madame even more.

Mustering her courage, she stepped into the forest and started the trek to the well. Every sense was on red alert, and the smallest noise had her jumping in fear. She prayed that she would be able to relax a bit more on the walk back, so she wouldn't drop the bucket and spill the water. The more time spent in the cold woods, the colder she would get. Her feet were already becoming numb as it was.

An owl hooted in the distance, and she dropped the bucket, fear coursing through her. In a panic, she grabbed the bucket, turning and running back the way she had come, only to trip and fall. In that moment, she remembered Madame, and how angry she would be if Cosette returned without water. Shaking, she got to her feet grabbing the bucket again. Tears in her eyes, she started back, heading towards the well.

She eventually made it, shivering from cold and fear, and began to get water with shaky hands. She did her best to lift the heavy bucket, full of water, but she was so weak from the cold and hunger that she dropped it, spilling the water. She tried again, twice, with the same result each time.

Hungry, cold, frightened, and alone, Cosette fell to the ground in tears. She almost didn't notice the strange man walking towards her. She wouldn't have noticed him at all if he hadn't stepped on a twig, the sound making her jump and stop crying in fear that it was Madame coming after her. Fearful, she cowered behind her bucket as he approached.

He knelt before her, his eyes full of kindness, an expression that was unfamiliar to her.

"Hush now, do not be afraid of me. Don't cry, show me where you live. Tell me, my child, what is your name?"

Shyly, she peaked at him over her bucket. "I'm called Cosette."

The man's eyes widened at her words. "Cosette... Can I help you with your bucket?"

She nodded, still feeling a bit shy, though somehow, instinctively, she knew she could trust him. She watched as he filled the bucket of water and lifted it before holding out a hand to her. Beaming, she took his hand and walked with him through the forest.

"Where do you live?" he asked her as they walked.

"Montfermeil," she replied.

"Is that where we are going?"

"Yes, Monsieur."

"Who sent you off at this hour to get water in the woods?"

"It was Madame Thénardier," Cosette replied. Part of her wondered why he was so curious about her and her life, but she somehow knew that he was a good man, someone she could trust.

"What does she do, your Madame Thénardier?" the man asked.

"She keeps the inn."

"The inn? Well then, that's where I'm going to spend the night."

Cosette smiled, glad that someone kind would be staying there over night. They walked in silence for a little while before the man resumed his questions.

"Isn't there some kind of servant at Madame Thénardier's?" he asked.

"No, Monsieur."

"Are you on your own?"

"Yes Monsieur. Well, actually, there are two little girls. Éponine and Azelma," Cosette told him, a touch of bitterness in her voice as she mentioned the two other girls.

"Who are they?"

"Madame's daughters."

"And what do they do?"

"They have beautiful dolls, and nice things. They play and have fun." She couldn't keep the envy and longing from her voice as she spoke.

"All day long?" he asked.

"Yes, Monsieur."

"What about you?"

"I work."

"All day long?"

She nodded sadly. "Yes, Monsieur." Her eyes brightened a little after a moment, though. "But I do get to play a little bit sometimes! I have a little sword, this big!" She held up her little finger to show the size. "It can cut vegetables, and the heads off flies!"

"How old are you?"

"I'm eight, Monsieur."

"And where is your mother?"

They were almost at the inn now. She could see it, just down the street from them.

"I don't know, Monsieur," she replied quietly. "Thank you for helping me with the bucket, but I should carry it from here. If Madame knows someone helped me, she'll beat me."

The man's eyes widened at her words, and they walked in silence the last little bit. As they reached the door, it swung open, revealing an angry Madame.

"Where have you been- oh, good evening, Monsieur," Madame said, her voice quickly jumping from fury to fake sweetness. "We've been so very worried about you, Cosette."

"I found her wandering in the woods, this little child," the man told Madame. "I found her trembling in the shadows!"

"Oh, yes, well we really needed the water. Do come in, both of you. Will you be staying?"

"Yes," the man replied.

Cosette carried the bucket to where she knew it belonged, watching as Madame inspected the man, clearly judging his worn attire. As she retreated under the table to knit, she watched Madame go and consult her husband a bit before returning to the man.

"I'm so sorry, but we're all full."

"Put me wherever you like, the attic, the stable, I'll pay the same price as the room."

"It's forty sous."

"I'll pay it."

Cosette caught Madame's grin. She knew it was really only twenty. She kept quiet, though.

The man went and sat at a table, and Cosette wordlessly got up to bring him a glass and a bottle of wine, knowing that any less would get her another beating. Immediately after she returned to her place, continuing to knit in silence. She felt his eyes on her, however, and knew he was taking in her skinny, ragged appearance, her tattered clothes that revealed the numerous bruises.

Cosette glanced up from her knitting after a few minutes, and her eyes wandered to where Éponine and Azelma were playing with the dolls by the fire, and she noticed that the man's gaze followed hers.

Madame Thénardier noticed Cosette's distraction as well, stormed over. "So that's your idea of work, is it?" She grabbed Cosette's arm, and the girl started trembling. "I'll make you work-"

"Madame," the man said with a smile, catching both off guard. "Let her play."

Madame Thénardier was caught off guard by his outburst, and was not about to let a stranger give her orders where Cosette was concerned. "She has to work, since she eats. I don't feed her for doing nothing."

The man was not about to give up either. "What is she making?"

"Stockings. For my little girls, who have none to speak of whatsoever and will soon be going around barefoot!"

The man raised an eyebrow as he looked at Cosette's own bare feet. He was clearly not fooled by the woman's words. "When will she be done the pair of stockings?"

"At least three or four full days, since she's so lazy."

"How much will they be worth, when they're done?"

"At least thirty sous."

"Would you take five francs for them?"

Cosette's eyes widened at the man's question, and Monsieur Thénardier jumped in, not about to let an opportunity for more money pass him by.

"Yes, Monsieur, if they take your fancy, we could give you these stockings for five francs. We never refuse travellers anything," he said with a sly grin.

"You'd have to pay right away," Madame added.

"I will buy them," the man replied, pulling a five franc coin from his pocket and handing it to them before turning to Cosette. "Your work is now mine. Go and play."

Cosette was wide eyed, and Madame was silent, unable to do anything. Frightened of getting in trouble, the small girl turned to Madame.

"Madame, is it true? Can I go and play?" she asked timidly.

"Play!" Madame shot back, anger in her voice.

"Thank you, Madame," Cosette replied, though in her heart her thanks all went to the kind man. She didn't leave her place though, not wanting to be in anyone's way. She happily pulled out her sword and some rags, dressing her sword like a little doll.

Éponine and Azelma, meanwhile, hadn't noticed what had happened behind them and had abandoned their dolls for the cat, who was mewing and doing it's best to squirm away while Éponine chatted to her sister while wrapping the cat with rags. "This will be my little girl! Isn't this doll more fun than the other one?"

While the adults talked, Cosette cradled her wrapped up sword while watching the other two girls from her place under a table. She gazed longingly at the discarded doll. Slowly, she looked around the room. No one was paying any attention to her or the doll. Quickly and quietly, she darted over, grabbed the doll, and returned to her place, where she continued playing happily with her temporary treasure.

About fifteen minutes later, she was caught when Azelma spotted her.

"Look, sister," Azelma said to Éponine, pointing to where Cosette sat with their doll.

Éponine glared. That was the last thing she would allow. She got up and went over to her parents, tugging at her mother's skirt. "Mother, look!" She pointed to Cosette, who hadn't yet noticed that she was caught.

Madame's face contorted in anger. "Cosette!"

The little girl froze, fear coursing through her veins. She laid the doll on the floor before her, wringing her hands without looking up, too afraid to look at the anger that she knew would be on Madame's face for having touched her daughters' doll. Instead, she burst into tears, no longer able to contain all of the emotions that had gathered over the day.

"What's the matter?" the man asked suddenly, having gotten to his feet and walked over, curious about what was happening.

"Just look! The little bitch has dared to touch my little girls' doll!"

"So what if she did play with the doll?" the man asked, not understanding how fiercely overprotective of her daughters Madame could be.

"She touched it with her filthy hands!" Madame shrieked. "With her hideous hands!" She glared at Cosette as the girl continued to sob. "Shut up!"

The man turned then and left, going out the door and into the street. Madame watched him leave, and then delivered a sharp kick to Cosette, making her cry even harder. Not long after, the man returned, carrying something.

Cosette and Madame both watched as he walked over, and Cosette realized he was holding the beautiful doll she had admired earlier, the one Éponine and Azelma and every other girl in Montfermeil so desired.

"Here," the man said, standing before her with the doll. "This is for you."

Cosette stared up at him in amazement and disbelief, her tears forgotten, hardly daring to breathe. Éponine and Azelma were staring at Cosette with eyes full of hatred, and the Thénardiers seemed uncertain of how to react, settling for muttering to each other.

Madame soon walked over though, her voice laced with fake sweetness as she spoke. "Well Cosette? Aren't you going to take your doll?"

Cosette shyly emerged from under the table.

"My little Cosette, Monsieur is giving you a doll. Take it. It's yours," Madame continued in the same deceptive tone.

Cosette gazed at the man and doll in awe, hesitant to even touch it. "Can I, Madame?" she asked meekly, looking hesitantly towards Madame.

"For God's sake! It's yours, since Monsieur is giving it to you!" Madame snapped.

Cosette looked back to the man with wide eyes. "Is it true, Monsieur?" she asked him. "Is it really mine?"

The man looked back at her and nodded, his eyes as kind as the first moment Cosette had seen him earlier in the woods.

Cosette was hesitant at first, but her desire soon won out and she took the doll excitedly. "I'll call her Catherine!" She hugged the doll tightly, thrilled that she truly owned something so beautiful and that she finally had a doll, a real doll.

She could see Éponine and Azelma out of the corner of her eye, and knew that they must be furious. She gazed at her doll, happily, content to just look at Catherine. She was a truly beautiful doll, with real hair black hair and blue enamel eyes, with a beautiful pink crepe dress adorned with lace and ribbons. Cosette could scarcely believe that she truly owned something so wonderfully beautiful.

Eventually, Madame sent Éponine and Azelma off to bed, both full of anger and jealousy, and Madame sent Cosette off not long after as well, Catherine held in her arms.

She did not know who the kind man was, but she was certain that he must not truly be a man. He was an angel.

* * *

Cosette dreamed of her mother. She always did when she slept. Her dreams were vague, just the remnants of memories. Golden hair, blue eyes, and a kind smile were all she could really picture. That and a feeling of warmth and love. Those were the things that filled her dreams every night. Nevertheless, when she woke on Christmas morning, she was still certain that the previous night with the kind man who had given her the beautiful doll and allowed her to play had been nothing more than a dream

As she opened her eyes and saw Catherine held tightly in her arms, however, she realized she was wrong. It had not been a dream at all, it was true. All of it had really happened.

A smile spread across her face and she hugged her doll closer, thrilled that it was all true. The sounds of Éponine and Azelma coming downstairs pulled her from her happy thoughts.

"Come sister, let's see what Father Christmas has left us in our shoes!" Éponine was saying. Cosette sat up, still clutching Catherine, and watched as each girl happily pulled a ten sous coin from their shoe. Quietly, she made her way to her own shoe and looked inside. To her amazement, she found a gold louis. Twenty francs. Excitedly, she pulled it out of her shoe and clutched it tightly, beaming.

Éponine noticed Cosette's excited expression. "What are you so happy about?" she asked, and Cosette showed her the coin. Éponine and Azelma both immediately looked angry that Cosette had gotten more than them, and they turned away indignantly, clearly at a loss for words, though they did mutter to each other. Cosette, meanwhile, went back to her place with her doll and her coin, happy.

A few minutes passed before Madame and Monsieur entered the room, talking to each other about the bill for the man for the night before.

"Twenty-three francs is perfect, it's what he deserves for making my little girls feel so unloved," Madame was saying.

"It will barely put a dent in what I owe, though. Fifteen hundred francs," Monsieur replied.

Cosette set her doll down and silently grabbed the broom to sweep the stairs, deciding to get to work before Madame noticed. At that moment, however, the man came downstairs, and she stopped, silently watching as Madame and Monsieur took note of him.

"Ah, there you are," Monsieur said. "We have your bill." He handed the man the paper. Cosette felt her heart sink. The man was going to leave her there.

The man looked at the paper. "Twenty-three francs?" he was clearly confused, as the room had been forty sous. He said nothing else though, and pulled out the coins. "Oh, and I have business with you."

The Thénardiers looked at each other, confused. "You do?" Madame asked.

The man nodded. "I am here to help Cosette, and I will settle any debt you may think proper. I will pay what I must pay to take Cosette away."

Cosette stared in awe, and Éponine and Azelma turned to look as well.  _Is he really here to help me? Is he my guardian angel?_

Madame shot Cosette a vicious look that clearly read 'come here', and Cosette obeyed, scurrying over.

"There is a duty I must heed," the man explained. "There is a promise I have made. For I was blind to one in need. I did not see what stood before me." The man took a breath before continuing. "Now her mother is with God. Fantine's suffering is over." Cosette's eyes widened.

_No, this can't be true. Mama can't be gone. She can't be._

"And I speak here with her voice, and I stand here in her place." The man looked up, a serious expression on his face as he addressed the Thénardiers. "And from this day and evermore, Cosette shall live in my protection. I shall not forget my vow." His gaze fell upon her. "Cosette shall have a father now."

Cosette's eyes were full of hope as she gazed at him.  _Does he really mean that? He must be my guardian angel! If mama's gone, she must have sent him from heaven._

The Thénardiers cut her thoughts off by pulling her back towards them. Monsieur was the one that spoke.

"What to do? What to say? Shall you carry our treasure away? What a gem, what a pearl! Beyond rubies is our little girl!" It was clear to her from the man's gaze that he didn't believe a single word that was coming out of Monsieur's mouth.

"How can we speak of debt? Let's not haggle for darling Colette-"

"Cosette," Madame hissed.

"Cosette!" Monsieur corrected himself quickly. "Dear Fantine, gone to rest... Have we done for her child what is best? Shared our bread, shared each bone! Treated her like she's one of our own! Like our own, m'sieur!"

The man's face was stony as he looked back at Monsieur. Cosette knew he didn't trust a single word of it.

"Your feelings do you credit, sir, and I will ease the parting blow. Let us not talk of bargains, or bones or greed, now may I say we are agreed?" He held out money. Cosette half expected them to take it and forget her. Madame jumped in then, however, clearly anxious to try to get more out of him.

"That would quite fit the bill, if she hadn't so often been ill. Little dear cost us dear. Medicines are expensive, m'sieur. Not that we begrudged a sou, it's no more than we Christians must do. One thing more, one small doubt. There are treacherous people about!"

Monsieur nodded, jumping in. "No offence, please reflect. Your intentions may not be correct."

The man's face remained unchanged as he held out his money. "No more words, here's your price. Fifteen hundred for your 'sacrifice'." The Thénardiers let go of her, grabbing the money and admiring it.

"Come Cosette, say goodbye," he said to her gently. "Let us seek out some friendlier skies."

She nodded and went to her place, grabbing her coin, Catherine, and her little sword.

"Thank you both for Cosette," the man said, giving them a disapproving look as he took her hand. "It won't take you too long to forget." Without another word, they went out the door, walking away.

Cosette smiled, looking up at him happily.

"Come Cosette, come my dear," he said gently to her, kneeling so that they were face to face. "From now on I will always be near. Where I go, you will be."

"Will there be children and castles to see?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes Cosette, yes it's true. There's a castle just waiting for you." He gave her a pair of shoes, which she put on excitedly, her little feet finally free from feeling the cold ground, and a warm cloak, which she wrapped around herself excitedly. Smiling, she threw her arms around him, and he picked her up carefully, carrying her away from the Thénardiers and their inn.

_Thank you mama_ , she thought as they left. _You sent me an angel. Thank you._


	4. Chapter 3

They reached Paris that night, after travelling all day. Cosette was quiet for most of the trip, simply feeling happy to finally be free of the Thénardiers. Besides, she was used to being as silent as possible, for fear of her words earning her one of Madame's beatings. She would smile up at the man every once in a while, of course, to reassure herself that her angel was still there.

Her angel seemed anxious, glancing over his shoulder frequently, as though he was afraid they were being followed. Cosette paid it no mind, though. Why should she, when she was finally free of the Thénardiers after all those years?

They remained silent as they walked through the streets, Cosette looking around curiously, interested in everything.

“Sir-” she began after a while, but the man interrupted.

“Papa. Call me Papa, Cosette,” he told her gently, smiling down at her. She smiled back at him.

“Papa, where are we going to live? Will we be staying here?” she asked.

“Yes, Cosette,” he replied, continuing to lead her through the streets. “I've found a place for us here in Paris.”

She smiled at that, and remained silent for the rest of the walk, her bright blue eyes continuing to eagerly take in everything as they went, though she was clearly growing tired. They eventually arrived at an old, rundown building, which they approached and entered, climbing a flight of stairs and going into a room at the end of a hall.

It may not have been a castle, but to Cosette it was the most beautiful place in the world.

“There's two beds,” she noted, turning to look at her new Papa curiously.

“Yes, one of them is yours,” he replied.

“You mean I get my own bed? An actual bed?” she could hardly believe it, she had always slept on the floor near the fireplace with the Thénardiers.

“Yes, you do. It's yours,” he told her with a smile.

She beamed and hugged him tightly, still clutching Catherine. “Thank you,” she whispered, joy filling her heart.

“No one will ever harm you again, I promise. This is the start of a new life for you, one where you can be happy,” he told her. “Now, I see that you're getting tired. Get some rest.”

She nodded, going over to her bed, a smile still on her face as she curled up to sleep, Catherine still held tightly in her arms. It took barely any time for her to drift to sleep, feeling safe for the first time that she could ever remember.

* * *

Cosette woke feeling more well rested than she had at any point within her memory. Having slept in a cramped space on the floor for most of her short life, she couldn't remember ever sleeping anywhere so comfortable, even if it was a simple mattress

She still found it hard to believe that she was finally free of the Thénardiers after all those years. She was safe at last, and far away from them now, living in Paris with the kind man who had found her in the woods. Her mother hadn't forgotten her, like the Thénardiers had insisted when Fantine's money had stopped, she had sent the man in her place. True, her mother was dead and Cosette would never have the chance to know her now, but she hadn't abandoned her. That fact alone was more than enough for her.

Besides, the man who had rescued her had promised to look after her, and had told her that she could call him papa. He was a guardian angel, sent by her mother. She knew it. It was the only explanation.

“Good morning, Cosette.” The gentle words pulled her out of her thoughts, and she smiled across the room at him.

“Good morning, papa,” she replied, the word 'papa' feeling foreign. She had never had a reason to use the word before, and it felt strange to her to finally have a use for the word at the age of eight. Nevertheless, she was happy.

“Here, get dressed,” he told her, handing her a clean black dress. His expression was a bit concerned as he did so, however, and she wondered what it was that worried him. As she changed, however, she understood.

He must have bought it before he first saw me, she realized as she tugged at the material, trying to make it fit properly rather than hang from her limbs like a tent.

“We'll go out today and find you something that will fit you properly, and get you something to eat. You can have whatever you like to eat,” he told her as he gestured for her to sit in front of him, a brush in his hand. She complied, taking a seat with her back to him, and he began to brush carefully, starting at the tips, gently tugging the tangles out of her scraggly, long chestnut hair. There were many, and in some places it was completely matted.

“I'm not sure what I would like to eat, monsieur- I mean papa,” she corrected quickly, turning her head to look at him. “I normally just eat scraps.”

His gaze was enough to tell her that he had already suspected that, and her words had been nothing more than confirmation.

“You won't be eating scraps any more,” he told her kindly, resuming the brushing. “You'll have proper meals from now on. Three a day.”

Cosette simply smiled in response, unable to find enough words to express her gratitude. There was one more thing she wondered though, and she was able to find words to express that one deep, burning desire. “Can I learn to read and write?” she asked as he finished brushing – her guess was that he had given up and would try again later. Her blue eyes were wide as she spoke. “'Ponine and 'Zelma were learning, and I would love to learn.”

To her relief, the man's eyes remained kind as he responded. “Of course. While we're out today we'll get a couple of books to teach you.”

Cosette abandoned all of her hesitations in that moment and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “Thank you!” she exclaimed, clinging to him. “Thank you so much!”

The man smiled down at her, patting her back. “You are very welcome, Cosette. Now come along, and we'll get some food, books, and clothes for you.” He looked at her hair again, and his next words confirmed her suspicions. “Also, I think we'll get you a hair cut.”

She happily took his hand, and went along with him as they left the house. The buildings in the area were very old and mostly made of wood, though some were brick. In a way it reminded Cosette of Montfermeil, only a little dirtier.

The Thénardiers would never think to look for us here, Cosette thought to herself, deciding that the man that had rescued her was very clever. Not after he paid them so much money and bought that beautiful doll. They'd look for us in a rich neighbourhood. We'll certainly be safe here!

She continued to smile as they walked through the streets, her curious gaze scanning every building they passed, watching as they went from run-down to neat and tidy.

“It's nice here,” she said after a while, breaking the silence.

The man turned to her, smiling. “Yes, it is, isn't it? Ah, here's a bakery. How does a croissant sound?”

“That sounds wonderful,” she replied, still happy.

“Perfect, let's go in.”

Cosette's eyes were wide as they entered the bakery. She had often been sent to buy groceries by Madame, and had often longed to keep a loaf of bread or an apple for herself, but that had never been possible before. She was amazed by how much food there was in the bakery, and by the fact that she could actually eat it.

Her senses were overwhelmed by the place, her eyes gazing at all of the breads, her nose filled with the warm, comforting scent of freshly baked bread. The bakery in Montfermeil had been a cold place for her, full of reminders of her own starvation, but here in Paris, with her new adoptive father, it was a place of joy.

She remained silent, contently taking in the sights and smells of the bakery as the man purchased two croissants before handing one to her.

“Thank you,” she said gratefully, taking the croissant in her tiny hands.

“You're very welcome, Cosette,” he replied as they left.

Nothing had ever tasted as good to her as that croissant did. The warmth and freshness astounded her, and she was left wondering if Éponine and Azelma's food tasted that good. She remembered the pastries that Madame would cook for them, all the cakes and cookies, and was sure that it had. Their treats had certainly smelled as good as her croissant.

Their next stop was a clothing store, where he purchased clothes for her that would fit properly. The owner of the store looked at Cosette strangely as they shopped, and the little girl found herself growing self conscious. No doubt the woman was wondering how she had gotten so skinny and dirty, and what they were doing in her shop. She wondered if the woman thought her ugly.

Cosette knew that she wasn't pretty. She was far from it, her hair a matted mess, her body little more than skin and bones, and her skin tanned and still a bit dirty from work. Éponine and Azelma were pretty, very pretty, well fed with fair skin, lively eyes, and thick long hair that was always neatly brushed. She doubted that she would ever be anywhere near as pretty as the Thénardier girls were. Anxiously, she chewed her lower lip and played with a lock of her hair, wishing that they had gone to get her hair cut before going to the seamstress.

Her new papa, however, seemed not to be bothered by the woman's suspicious looks, and soon they had found a couple dresses that would fit Cosette's small, malnourished frame. She kept close to him as they left the shop, and they were soon off to the hair cutter, her tiny hand gripping his large one all the way there.

The hair cutter was clearly amazed by the amount of knots and mats in Cosette's thick chestnut hair, and was as much at a loss for what to do with it as her adoptive father had been that morning. In the end, all of her hair came off, her eyes wide as lock after lock of tangled, dirty hair fell to the floor beneath her. It didn't take long before her hair was cropped short, close to her scalp, only an inch or so long. She was given a hat to hide what remained of her hair, and after paying, she and her papa left.

Their final stop was at a book store, and Cosette found that she loved that store the most. She had always envied Éponine and Azelma's opportunity to learn to read and write, and had hated the times they had tormented her by showing off their books, but now she was in a building filled with them. She wondered if Éponine had ever seen so many books in her life, and she felt giddy at the thought that she might be experiencing something that the other girl might never have a chance to. Her papa selected a small journal, filled with blank pages, as well as a few simple book, which he then paid for. Cosette beamed in excitement as he gave her a book to carry home herself, and she clung to it in joy. She didn't know what the book was called or what it was about, but the brown cloth cover made her smile.

They stopped quickly for supper on the way home, and Cosette enjoyed every mouthful as she ate hungrily, still unable to believe that she could now enjoy proper meals. She kept the book tight to her chest as they made their way back home, a smile wide on her face.  
It was late by the time they returned home. Cosette realized how exhausted she was as they made their way up the stairs to their small apartment in the Gorbeau House, yawning as they went through the door to their room. She set the book down next to her bed, and her new papa helped her get ready for bed before gently tucking her in.

“Thank you for giving me a great day, papa,” Cosette said shyly with a small yawn. He smiled down at her, placing a small, almost hesitant kiss on her forehead.

“You are most welcome, Cosette,” he replied, his eyes kind and full of a love that Cosette had never known until the first time she had met him. Perhaps she had known it once, with her mother, but that was before she could remember now. “Sweet dreams, Cosette. Get some rest.”

She was fast asleep before he even left her side, her dreams filled with imagined images of the mother she could no longer remember.


	5. Chapter 4

 

_Cosette smiled as she was led down the hall to the room her mother was in. At long last, they would be reunited. She had lost count of how many years it had been since she had last seen her mother, and all she could think of was how excited she was._

_Her tiny heart was racing as they reached the room and opened the door. The small girl walked into the room and looked at the hospital bed. Her eyes took in the pale face, filled with love, the golden hair, and-_

Cosette opened her eyes. She was back in the small apartment she was sharing with her papa. It had been four months now since they had moved into the Gorbeau House. Her doll, Catherine, was sitting next to her, just as it always was. Her books sat in a stack on the bedside table.

She had taken to reading very quickly as she was so eager to learn, and got through the books almost faster than her papa could supply her with new ones. They spent most days sitting in the room together, constantly reading. On Sundays, they went to church. Every Sunday, without fail. Other days they would go to the park together and walk along the river, enjoying the fresh air. But every night, without fail, they would go for a walk and her papa would give coins to the poor of Paris.

She admired him for that, and was certain that she was the luckiest girl in the world to have such a wonderful papa who seemed to live only to help others. It didn't matter to her that he was so secretive, in her eyes he had no flaws at all. Almost nothing bothered her any more.

She no longer felt the gaze of strangers, or heard their whispered insults that she was ugly or pathetic. Her papa was now her entire world, her sun and moon, and he thought of her as beautiful and wonderful, so that was all that mattered to her.

She had gotten past the awkwardness of referring to him as papa now; at this point it felt natural as breathing to her. Her eyes shone when she saw him, and to her he appeared happier too. When she had first laid eyes on him he had seemed sad and alone, but that was no longer the case. Perhaps they had needed each other, and her life had become like a fairytale in one of her books. Cosette didn't know if that were possible or not, but it didn't matter to her. They were happy and that was that.

More than that, though, Cosette was growing. Not just taller, but she was gaining weight, too. Her clothes no longer hung off of her like a shed skin, but fit her snugly and comfortably. Her ribs no longer showed and her collarbone had stopped sticking out. She was finally beginning to resemble a little girl instead of a skeleton covered in skin, and life had returned to her eyes. Her hair was still short from being cut to remove the mats that had formed over years, but it looked healthy now and had grown a little. Her skin remained almost a sickly pale, but colour was slowly returning to it; a healthy colour now from proper nutrition rather the black and blue of bruises that had once dotted her arms and legs, all of which had long since faded.

Although the bruises were long gone, her memories were refusing to fade. There were still mornings that she would wake up in a panic, searching for a broom to start on chores, and nights she would wake with a small scream from a nightmare, but her papa would hold her close and whisper to her, and she would return to sleep, content.

Cosette, however, was not truly content. She doubted she ever really would be. Her heart still ached for the mother she now knew she would never know, the mother that had loved her until the end. All she wanted was to have her mother back but she knew that it was impossible.

_I miss you Mama. I wish I could have had more time with you. I wish I could have gotten to know you. Really know you._  She bit her lip and hugged her doll. Even with her papa, there were still times that she felt cold and alone. Years of abuse at the hands of the Thénardiers had left her feeling broken, and it would take far longer than four months for her to fully heal. Sometimes she doubted that she ever really would heal. She had her papa now, though, and he would help her. She knew he would.

"Cosette, are you awake?" She smiled as she heard the voice.

"Yes, Papa, I'm awake," she replied, sitting up.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes. No nightmares last night."  _Just dreams of Mama, none of which will ever come true now._

"That's good to hear. Get dressed and we'll have some breakfast, then we can decide what to do today," he instructed. Cosette nodded and got out of bed, grabbing her clothes and dressing quickly before going to join her Papa for breakfast. It was a quick, simple meal, but to Cosette it was heavenly. She still found it hard to believe that she was eating real food instead of scraps, even after four months.

Her favourite change, however, was the books. Her papa had begun teaching her to read within their first week together, and she absorbed the lessons eagerly. She loved the books they would go through together, and was absolutely fascinated by all of the stories that they contained. She also greatly enjoyed the writing lessons that he gave to her as well. The first thing he had taught her was how to write her name, which she had learned quickly out of her excitement. After years of longing to be able to read and write, she was happily taking full advantage of finally being able to learn the skills.

"Can we do more reading today?" she asked as they ate.

"Of course," he replied immediately with a smile. "It's a very important lesson. I'm glad you're enjoying it."

Cosette beamed, glad her papa was pleased with her and her interests. If there was anything Cosette loved more than the books, it was her papa and how he always seamed pleased with her. Every little thing she had ever done had been met with criticism, ridicule, and even beatings when she had lived with the Thénardiers, but now all that she did was met with nothing less than a smile.

"We'll take a walk first, I think, and get some fresh air," her papa said as they finished their meal. "It looks like a nice day."

"All right," Cosette replied cheerfully, getting up.

Her papa smiled as he stood and set the dishes aside to wash later before grabbing his coat and some coins to hand out to the poor. "Get your shoes on, Cosette, and we'll head out right away."

She nodded and quickly put on her shoes and coat before they headed out together. Though it was spring now, it was still chilly, particularly in the mornings. Cosette didn't mind the slight chill, however, as it was warmer than winter, and she now had proper clothes to keep her warm.

She adored the spring, and the flowers that came with it. For her, the spring had washed away not only the snow and cold of winter but also the loneliness, fear, and pain, and she was growing just like the flowers that she loved to gaze at and stop to smell on their morning walks.

Their walk that morning was, for the most part, quite ordinary. They walked for a few blocks, Cosette enjoying the sights and smells as usual – she could never get over the smell of warm, fresh bread – before turning to head home. Towards the end of their walk, however, something completely out of the ordinary happened.

Her papa had stopped to hand a coin to a beggar, as he always did, but as he straightened up again, he seemed to stiffen, almost as if in fear. The change was only there for the briefest moment, yet Cosette still caught it.

The return home seemed to be more brisk than it usually was that day, and her papa showed no interest in going back outside, content to simply continue with Cosette's reading and writing lessons.

Cosette decided that perhaps, for now, it would be best to just ignore the odd behaviour and not to ask about it. She was a bit afraid, however. Had it been Thénardier, out looking for them? Had he tracked them down? If so, her papa would surely protect her. She had faith in him. He had promised her that no harm would ever come to her again, and she was going to believe him, no matter what.

 


	6. Chapter 5

"Monsieur perhaps heard someone come in last night?"

Cosette normally ignored the old woman her papa rented from when she came in to clean once a week, but she was curious about the footsteps they'd heard and her papa's odd behaviour, so she immediately began to pay attention. She did so discreetly, of course, pretending to be more interested in her breakfast than she was in their conversation. She doubted her papa wanted her paying much attention to the old woman. When they had arrived at the Gorbeau house, her papa had told the woman that Cosette was his granddaughter. Why her papa was lying to the woman was beyond her, but she assumed that he was simply taking precautions in case the Thénardiers came looking for them. Why else would he lie?

"I did, as a matter of fact," her papa replied. "So who was it?"

"A new tenant that's moved in."

"And what's his name?"

"I can't really remember. Monsieur Dumont or Daumont. Something like that".

"And what is he, this Monsieur Dumont?"

"He's a tenant, like you."

To Cosette, there was nothing overly suspicious about the woman's words. A new tenant couldn't possibly mean trouble, after all. And perhaps the man had a daughter her age that she could make friends with.

To her papa, however, it did appear to be suspicious. After the woman left, he proceeded to pack and gave instructions to Cosette to do the same.

"We have to leave today, Cosette," he told her as they packed. "It's not safe here anymore."

Her little heart burned with the desire to ask why they had to leave, to try to gain some sort of understanding of the situation, but she held back reluctantly, choosing to simply follow his instructions without question. After all, who was she to question him? He had saved her from the Thénardiers, he was her protector, her papa. Surely he knew best, and if the Gorbeau house was no longer safe for them, he would find a new place for them to live that would be.

They remained inside that day, keeping silently to themselves, and at dusk her papa got up and quietly went outside. He returned a minute later, just as silently, picked up their small bag of luggage, and held a hand out to her.

"Come," he said quietly, and she got up, took his hand, and went with him out into the night.

Paris was eerie at night, Cosette found. Not nearly as eerie as the woods she had needed to enter alone to fetch water back in Montfermeil, but eerie nonetheless. Particularly now, when she and her papa were leaving home for reasons she didn't even know. For all she knew, the Thénardiers were pursuing them, planning to take her back to Montfermeil forever.

Regardless of her fear, she made up her mind to continue to trust her papa. How could she not trust him? He was all that she had in the world. She'd never met her birth father, her mother was dead, and the Thénardiers had used and abused her until he had come along to take her away from that life of misery. No matter how fearful the situation, she knew she would always trust him. He was her sun and moon.

They went down street after street endlessly, seemingly aimlessly in her mind, and the hours wore on, fear alone keeping her from getting tired. After a while, when they were near the office of the chief of police, her papa suddenly turned to look behind them, and Cosette turned her head as well, curiously. There were three men behind them, and Cosette thought they might be police officers. Her papa suddenly seemed a bit nervous.

"Come, little one," he said to her, and they quickly turned onto a different street, continuing their journey through the streets of Paris, until her papa suddenly ducked into a doorway, taking Cosette with him.

They cowered there for a few minutes, her papa watching the street. Eventually, the men came by. There were now four of them, and she noticed that her papa was watching them closely. They were quite tall, and all dressed similarly. They stopped for a bit, huddling together as if they were discussing something.

After a while the one who seemed to be the leader turned, allowing the moon to hit his face. At that moment, Cosette sensed her papa stiffen, almost as if in fear, as though he recognized the man.

It was not Thénardier, in fact Cosette was certain that she had never seen the man at all before. Her papa, however, clearly had judging by his response to seeing the man's face. He had a pug nose, sideburns, and a large jaw. Even in the dark, Cosette could tell that he was a very stern man, and she felt instantly intimidated by him. He may not be Thénardier, but he was still someone to be afraid of.

After a moment, as the men continued to confer with each other, her papa lunged out of the doorway, taking her with him, and they continued down another street, away from the men. It was getting close to midnight now, and she was beginning to feel tired. Her papa noticed, and silently picked her up, continuing to hurry down the streets as he carried her. She snuggled against him, grateful for the chance to rest. She longed to be back in the Gorbeau house, safely curled up in bed, but she was fairly confident that they would never be returning to it.

Eventually they reached a bridge, the pont d'Austerlitz. Her papa approached the tollhouse and handed a sou to the man working.

"It's two sous, you're carrying a child there who can walk. You pay for two," the bridge-keeper told him. Her papa handed the man a second sou, silently yet seemingly annoyed before setting off across the bridge, keeping them within the shadow of a large cart that was also crossing.

When they were halfway across, Cosette felt her feet going to sleep. "Papa, I want to walk again," she told him. "My feet are falling asleep."

He paused for hardly a moment to set her down, and took her little hand in his and they continued across the bridge. As soon as they were across, he made for a timber yard. He didn't hesitate as they crossed a large, brightly lit square. Once there, they saw a small, dark street that they could easily disappear down. Cosette immediately felt nervous, looking at the street. It reminded her slightly of the woods in Montfermeil, dark and foreboding. Her papa stopped for a moment and looked back behind them, and Cosette did the same.

The four men were there behind them, and had just reached the bridge. All she knew was that her papa did not want to be found by them, and seeing them there, following in their direction, made the small, dark street somewhat less frightening to her. Clutching her papa's hand, they started down the street.

A few hundred feet down the street, it forked. Her papa turned right without even a moment's hesitation, and Cosette followed, holding his hand tightly, trusting that he knew what he was doing and she would be safe with him. She felt herself getting tired again, and without her needing to say a word, her papa once again picked her up to carry her.

Rather than walking he was now racing, hurrying as quickly as he could down the street til he came to a wall which bordered an alley where the street ended. Her papa stayed still now, trying to choose between left and right. To the right, there was another wall. To the left, the alley was open at first glance, but there was a man standing at the end, seemingly waiting.

Her papa sat her down on the ground, her back to the wall, with instructions to keep quiet. She nodded silently and sat there, watching him as he scrambled around silently, trying to find some way to get them out of their predicament.

After several long, anxious, moments, he returned to her, a rope in hand. The sound of a large group coming towards them in the dark could be heard now. At that moment, Cosette became completely overwhelmed and reached out to tug on the bottom of his coat.

"Father, I'm frightened." Her voice was barely more than a whisper as she spoke. "Who's that coming down there?" Her heart was racing from fear as she looked up at him, her blue eyes wide with fright.

"Shoosh," he replied quickly, just as quiet. "It's mother Thénardier."

Cosette froze, panic in her eyes. Had she been wrong the entire time? Was it the Thénardiers after all? Perhaps the man her papa had recognized was associated with them, and was there to help them take her back. Her heart raced even faster and she began to tremble. She couldn't stand the thought of seeing Madame again, with her horrible scowl and thundering voice and numerous beatings.

"Don't say a word," her papa instructed. "Let me handle it. If you yell, if you cry, mother Thénardier will spot you. She'll come and take you back."

Cosette nodded slightly, almost paralysed from fear, and her papa undid his cravat. He carefully wound it around her under her arms and tied it to one end of the rope before taking the other end in his teeth, throwing his shoes and stockings over the wall before beginning to climb. Cosette watched silently as he made his way up the wall, reaching the top in under a minute.

"Lean back against the wall," he instructed her quietly from the top of the wall, his voice an urgent whisper that just reached her. She obeyed immediately, her heart still racing in fear. What if they weren't fast enough and Madame found them and took her back? She couldn't bear the thought of returning to that life.

"Don't say a word and don't be frightened," her papa told her in the same whisper, and she felt herself lift into the air. Mercifully, she was soon at the top of the wall with her papa, who quickly put her on his back and began to crawl across the wall, staying as low as possible.

Cosette shut her eyes, trying to imagine that they were anywhere but there on that wall, being pursued by her former tormenters. Her papa continued to crawl along, with her on his back, but with her eyes shut she could not see where, and she preferred it that way. It made it somehow less frightening. She could hear a man's voice shouting to continue searching for them, and she tried to shut it out and ignore it.

All of a sudden, she felt herself sliding. She opened her eyes and realized that they were sliding down a roof. She remained silent, mostly out of fear, even as her papa jumped to the ground with her.

As she looked around, she realized that they were now standing in a garden. It felt strange and eerie, yet also somehow safe. Still feeling a bit frightened, Cosette huddled against her papa, wanting to stay close to him. The man from before was still shouting orders in the streets.

Another sound, however, soon drowned out the sound of shouting. The voices of women and children, together in a hymn, a sound that inexplicably brought them both to their knees. After a while, the shouting and the song both ended, and the two sat together in the garden in silence, Cosette's head leaning against him. She was still trembling in fear.

"Are you sleepy?" her papa asked her after a moment.

"I'm very cold," she replied. "Is she still there?"

"Who?" her papa asked.

"Madame Thénardier."

"Ah! She's gone. There's nothing to be frightened of now," her papa assured her.

Cosette sighed in relief and was finally able to relax a bit. Her papa removed his coat and wrapped it around her.

"Are you a bit warmer like that?" he asked.

"Oh, yes, father!" she replied. She really was, it was very late and the breeze was quite cold.

"All right then, wait for me a moment. I'll be back," he told her, getting up and heading off to explore. Cosette watched him walk away silently, and felt the cold and exhaustion catching up to her. It was well past midnight, and she was far too tired to stay awake. Shifting slightly, she laid down, resting her head on a stone, and soon fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 6

When Cosette awoke, she was lying in a warm bed in a small cabin. There was a fire going in the fireplace, and her papa was there watching her. He seemed relieved that she was awake.

"Papa, where are we?" she asked curiously.

"We're safe now, Cosette. We're in a small house at a convent," he told her gently.

"Will we be staying here?" she asked.

Her papa nodded as the door opened and another man came in. "Listen carefully, my little Cosette," her papa began. "We have to leave this house and go away, but we'll be back and we'll be as happy as can be here. This good man here," he gestured to the man that had just come in, "will carry you out on his back in that." He gestured to a basked that was hanging on the wall. Cosette looked at the basked nervously. "You'll wait for me at a lady's place," her papa went on. "I'll come and get you there. Above all, if you don't want mother Thénardier to take you away again, do what you're told and don't say a thing!"

Cosette nodded gravely, a twinge of panic setting in again at the thought of Madame taking her away again. Her papa then turned to look at the man that had come in.

"Well?" he asked the man.

"Everything's arranged – and nothing is," the man replied. "I've got permission to bring you in; but before I can bring you in, I've got to get you out. That's where we come unstuck. For the little one, it's easy as pie."

"You'll carry her out?"

"Will she keep quiet?"

"I can vouch for that," her papa assured the man. Cosette sat silently, listening intently.

"But what about you, father Madeleine?" the man asked. After a moment he spoke again though, full of excitement. "I know! You go out the way you came in!"

Her papa responded immediately. "Not possible."

The man sighed and looked down, almost mumbling as he spoke. "There's something else that's tormenting me. I said I'd put some dirt in it. Trouble is, I don't think dirt instead of a body inside is going to do the trick; it' won't work, it'll move around, it'll shake. The men will feel it." He looked up again. "You see, father Madeleine, the government will be onto it. How in Chri- stmas," he caught himself habitually, and quickly altered his word choice, despite not currently speaking to the nuns, "are you going to get out of here? Because everything has to be done tomorrow! It's tomorrow that I'll be bringing you in. The prioress is expecting you. She's allowing it as payment for a service that I'm doing for them."

"And what service is that?" her papa asked curiously.

"One of my duties is to assist with the burials. I nail the coffins and help the gravedigger," the man explained. "The nun who died this morning asked to be buried in the coffin she used as a bed and interred in the vault beneath the chapel altar. It goes against the police regulations, but she's the sort of dead woman that always gets their way. The prioress and vocal mothers have every intention of carrying out the dead woman's wishes. Which means I'll nail up the coffin, lift up the stone in the chapel, and lower her into the vault. And so, to thank me, the prioress will allow my brother and niece to come in, my brother as a gardener, and my niece as a boarder. This, of course, is you and the little girl. You're to come along tomorrow evening, after the fake burial in the cemetery. Of course, I can't bring you in from outside if you're inside. And what am I to do about the empty coffin?"

"What is this empty coffin?" her papa asked.

"The coffin from the administration."

"What coffin? What administration?"

"A nun dies. The municipal doctor comes along and says: There is a dead nun. The government sends in a coffin. The next day it sends a hearse and undertakers to pick up the coffin and take it to the cemetery. The undertakers will come and lift up the coffin and there won't be anything in it," the man explained, clearly concerned.

"Put something in it."

"A dead body? I don't have one."

"No," her papa replied.

"What then?"

"A live body."

The man looked at him blankly. "What live body?"

"Me," her papa said simply.

The man shot up in surprise. "You!"

"Why not?" her papa smiled. "You know, Fauchelevent, how you said, Mother Crucifixion is dead, and I added, and father Madeleine is buried. Well, that's how it's going to be."

Cosette continued to watch and listen silently. Was her papa seriously planning to go in a coffin?

"Ah, right, you're having a laugh. You're not serious," the man, whose name was apparently Fauchelevent, commented. Cosette prayed he was right.

"I'm perfectly serious. Don't I have to get out of here?"

"Of course."

"I told you to get a basket and a lid for me as well."

"Well?"

"The basket will be made of pine and the lid will be a black sheet."

"To start with, it's a white sheet. Nuns are buried in white."

"A white sheet, then."

"You're not like other men, father Madeleine," Fauchelevent said, shaking his head slightly.

Cosette's mind was whirling now. Her papa couldn't hide in a coffin! The coffin was meant to be buried. What if something went wrong and he was buried alive? She would lose him forever, and he was all that she had in the world. Without him, she could be sent back to the Thénardiers, and she would be doomed. She couldn't bear the thought of going back. She remained silent, however, unwilling to complain, choosing instead to hug Catherine tightly.

"When does the concierge open that door?" her papa asked. The conversation had continued on while she'd been lost in her thoughts.

"Only to let the undertakers in when they come for the coffin. Once the coffin's out, the door is shut again."

"Who puts the nails in the coffin?

"I do," Fauchelevent told him.

"Who puts the cloth over it?"

"I do."

"Are you alone?"

"No other man, apart from the police doctor, can go into the room of the dead. It's even written on the wall." Clearly the nuns were very strict. They couldn't be as bad as Madame was, however. Cosette was certain of that.

"Could you, tonight, when everyone in the convent is asleep, hide me in that room?" her papa asked. Cosette stiffened slightly at that. She didn't want to be away from her papa, not in a new place like this.

"No, but I can hide you in a little dark cubbyhole that opens into the room of the dead, where I put my burial tools and which I look after and have the key for.

"What time will the hearse come to pick up the coffin tomorrow?"

"Around three in the afternoon. The burial takes place at the Vaugirard Cemetery just before nightfall. It's quite a way away."

The more they talked it over, the more anxious Cosette grew. If this plan failed, her little life that had only just begun would suddenly be over and she'd be back with Madame. Back to being a skinny, malnourished servant with no hope and no future, back being tormented endlessly by Éponine and Azelma, back to being beaten black and blue by Madame while Monsieur drank and swindled the customers. She couldn't go back, she just couldn't!

"But how will you manage to breathe?" Fauchelevent asked one of the two questions that had been tormenting Cosette the whole time.

"I'll breathe."

"In that box! I'm suffocating just thinking about it."

"Surely you must have a gimlet, you can put a few small holes here and there around the mouth and you can nail it without making the lid too tight." Of course her papa had thought about it. How could she have been so foolish as to doubt him? He had an answer for everything. There was, however, a nagging voice in her head still driving in her other concern, that something would go wrong and he would be buried alive. She could only pray that nothing would go wrong.

"And if you should cough or sneeze?"

"An escapee never coughs or sneezes," her papa assured Fauchevelent. "Father Fauchelevent, I have to decide; either get caught here or take my chances going out in the hearse. Indeed, there is no other way. The only thing that worries me is what happens in the cemetery."

"That is just what doesn't bother me!" Fauchelevent exclaimed. "If you're sure you can get out of the coffin, I'm sure I can get you out of the grave. The gravedigger's a drunk and a friend of mine. Name of father Mestienne. A good old stick, one of the old school. The gravedigger puts the dead in the grave and I put the gravedigger in my pocket. I'll tell you what will happen. We'll arrive a bit before sundown, three quarters of an hour before they shut the gates of the cemetery. The hearse will drive right up to the grave. I'll follow behind it; that's my job. I'll have a hammer, a chisel, and some pliers in my pocket. The hearse stops, the undertakers tie a rope around your coffin for you and lower you down. The priest says the prayers, makes the sign of the cross, chuck some holy water in, and clears off. I remain alone with father Mestienne. He's my friend, like I told you." Cosette was listening closely. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. Fauchelevent seemed confident enough in this. He went on. "Either he'll be plastered or he won't be plastered – it's all the same," Fauchelevent continued. "If he's not plastered, I say to him: 'Come and have a drink while the Bon Coing's still open.' I drag him away, I get him drunk – it doesn't take long to get father Mestienne drunk, he's always halfway there – I drink him under the table for you, I take his pass to get back into the cemetery, and I come back without him. Then you'll only have me to deal with. If he's plastered, I say to him: 'Off you go, I'll stand in for you.' Off he goes and I pull you out of the hole."

It seemed mostly reasonable to Cosette, and her papa certainly seemed happy with the plan. Her papa stuck his hand out and shook hands with Fauchelevent.

"Agreed, father Fauchelevent," her papa said with a small smile. "It will be all right."

Cosette could only pray that her papa was right about that.

**Note: Bon Coing is a bar near the graveyard, mentioned in the novel**


End file.
